Tennis star says 'treated like a criminal' with doping ban

Serbia's Viktor Troicki will appeal against his 18-month suspension for missing a drugs test.

Story highlights

Viktor Troicki hits back after being suspended for missing a drugs test

Serbian star given 18-month ban by International Tennis Federation

Troicki insists he was given permission to skip drugs test

The 27-year-old will appeal against the decision at Court of Arbitration for Sport.

A leading tennis player believes he has been "treated like a criminal" after being hit with an 18-month ban for flouting doping regulations and plans to take his case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

World No. 53 Viktor Troicki was suspended by the International Tennis Federation (ITF) Thursday after being found guilty of failing to provide a blood sample in a drugs test during April's Monte Carlo Masters.

But Serbian Troicki has rejected the charge, alleging the doctor conducting the blood test allowed him to miss the procedure and says he will now appeal the decision.

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"Now I'm being charged for refusing to undergo a blood test without justification. This is a real nightmare.

"I put my trust in the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne, I really hope they will look for the truth and find it."

The 27-year-old Troicki confirmed that he underwent a test the following day by the same doping control officer with the result coming back negative.

He also revealed that he had never previously missed a test and had undergone several blood and urine examinations during his career.

But the ITF has taken a different stance on the story, insisting that the doping control officer had told Troicki that "she could not advise him as to whether his reason for not providing a blood sample was valid, and that no such assurances were given by her."

But Troicki believes he was simply misled and insists he has no problem with the current drug regulations.

"The doping rules are strict and they must remain strict. But this was a clear mistake from the on-site doping control officer who was also a doctor and the person in charge to decide," added the Serbian.

"She let me go and reassured me. In my opinion, once she found out that she didn't follow procedures she turned her back on me.

"I am destroyed and exhausted. The whole period I have been thinking about this issue and it's not over, so I can't really describe it.

"I am not even angry with the doctor. I believe that maybe she was told her organization that she made a big mistake letting me go. She backed up and tried to save her job.

"I am a fighter and I will try to fight together with my team and my lawyers but I am quite destroyed now. I hope this nightmare will come to a good end. I really want to continue playing. I don't deserve this."